Wereworld #4: Nest of Serpents by Curtis Jobling

My name is Hector, and few of my former friends suspect I'm secretly working for the armies of Prince Lucas. It helps to have an ability to speak with the dead, and I hope to sneak my way into the Iceland fortress. Others call me Blackhand as the dark magic slowly takes over my body, and my murdered brother's voice still counsels me. I often wonder what's become of my close friend Drew, but I suspect he's been killed by now. The wolf was changing, and he didn't have the stomach to become king. The Lionguard and the panther's armies are spreading death and destruction across Lyssia. I will take my place alongside Prince Lucas when the resistance is finally quashed, although I still have small doubts in the back of my mind. The cats have never shown much loyalty to other Werelords, but I'm sure they'll make an exception for me.

This book has come a long way from the first one in the series. Full-out war is going on between the armies of the Werecats and the supporters of Drew, the Werewolf destined to rule the realms. The fighting and violence are again at the forefront. My pet peeve is when books tell the story from multiple settings, and this series has consistently done that. I hadn't read the third book in awhile, so the various settings and dozens of characters became muddled. I couldn't clearly remember their roles or their corresponding type of animals. Most of the main characters maintain human forms and only transform into animals when fighting. Supporting characters and soldiers are often human and are subservient to the Werelords. I still hold out hope for Hector's character, as there are still moments where he remembers a bit of humanity. He started out as Drew's best friend but has slowly morphed into a murderous sorcerer. I can hope, but he's nearing the point of eternal evil. Overall, the series is a creative adventure, although you must have a tolerance for violence and ruthlessness to enjoy it. It's testing my resolve, but I guess I'm stubborn to finish all the books.